When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

There are a number of reasons why you should see a show at The Regency Ballroom — its ornate, turn-of-the-century architecture and eclectic lineup of performers, to name a few — but no reason is more compelling than the venue's ample seating.

The oft-told chicken-on-Muni story — in which a woman holding a live chicken is prevented from boarding a bus, usually the 30-Stockton in Chinatown, until she wrings its neck to get around the "service-animals-only" rule — is one urban legend that is at least somewhat true. You can buy a live chicken in San Francisco, like the ones Raymond Young Live Poultry sells for $6.50 apiece or two for $11 at the twice-weekly Heart of the City Farmers' Market in Civic Center. And some patrons of the Youngs' stand do take public transportation after making their purchases.

That's not what galls animal-rights activist Andrew Zollman, who has picketed the Youngs every market day since April 2009. A professed vegan, Zollman doesn't like meat and isn't a fan of those who sell it, but he has also documented online what he says is a litany of animal rights abuses perpetrated by the Youngs: birds living in their own feces, birds handled roughly before they're stuffed into plastic or paper bags, and other evidences of a chicken perdition.

"They're pretty clearly in violation of state animal cruelty laws, and the attorneys we've talked to agree," Zollman says. "It's extremely cruel, and it's going on in the middle of the city."

While Zollman's activism hasn't halted bird sales, his actions have led the health department to conduct daily inspections — which the market and the Youngs always pass, according to market manager Christine Adams. The department "was here again [on a recent Wednesday], and they said everything was fine," she says.

"He comes here and he harasses our customers," said Tina Young, who guesses that the protests — which sometimes include Zollman, camera in hand, following people out of the market — have cut sales almost in half, from 400 to 500 birds a day to around 250.

This is largely because the Youngs can no longer accept food stamps. Thanks to Zollman's involvement, the Human Services Agency has banned the use of food stamps at the poultry stand after Zollman videotaped a homeless couple who bought a bird for a pet, a no-no under the program. Some of their best customers — low-income Chinese speakers, many of whom used food stamps — can no longer shop there, and instead must rely on back-alley shops in Chinatown to provide the live birds they prefer.

"And you know what?" Adams adds. "He says he's vegan, but I've never seen [Zollman] buy so much as a peach."

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the Youngs had taken Zollman to court and obtained a 20-foot stay-away order. Members of the family sought a restraining order against another animal-rights activist, not Zollman. Records indicate the judge in that case denied the request without prejudice. We regret the error.

About The Author

Bio:
Chris Roberts has spent most of his adult life working in San Francisco news media, which is to say he's still a teenager in Middle American years. He has covered marijuana, drug policy, and politics for SF Weekly since 2009.

Slideshows

Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"